Dear Bob ...I had a phone interview with an HR screener a few months ago. She said: it's been a while since you've worked for a large company - I don't think you can do that any more. She went on to say that the five staff members have been working for large companies for the past five years. I'm not the kind to raise my voice, but I DID ask: What is it that you think I'm lacking when it comes to working for a l Dear Bob …I had a phone interview with an HR screener a few months ago. She said: it’s been a while since you’ve worked for a large company – I don’t think you can do that any more. She went on to say that the five staff members have been working for large companies for the past five years. I’m not the kind to raise my voice, but I DID ask: What is it that you think I’m lacking when it comes to working for a large company?She got ‘REAL’ defensive at that point: “I don’t have to explain myself to you…” Well, needless to say I don’t think I backtracked very well out of that one! No to be fair to these employers, all I have is several years of experience (I leave off the military stuff so I don’t see TOO experienced () and an MBA in management.How do you think I should have handled the comment?– HR-challengedDear Challenged …You describe an interview situation that comes up over and over again – the interviewer assuming a disqualifier. I don’t know why they do this. I think an inference about it is reasonable: They wouldn’t be talking with you if they really thought the issue was a deal-breaker, so they must be raising it to see how you’ll respond.So here’s how you respond. In general, do your best to anticipate what they’re likely to be. Most ad libs are rehearsed, after all – they aren’t spontaneous acts of brilliance. If you are caught off-guard, memorize this phrase: “I get that a lot. I don’t really think it’s an issue, though. Here’s why:” That gets you going in the right direction without putting either of you on the defensive.So: “I get that a lot. I don’t really think it’s an issue, though. Here’s why: I don’t put my years in the military on my resume, because it would add a lot of length without adding a lot of value. As I think you know, the military is a pretty big organization, and I did pretty well there. I also worked in a couple of big companies before starting to work in smaller ones, and what I discovered is that most big companies act just like a collection of small ones. Either way it’s about managing the right relationships, and that’s something I’ve focused on throughout my career.”If that explanation doesn’t fit your experience, figure out another one that does. Whatever it is, also remember the first rule of handling disqualifying questions: Answer them as briefly as possible, and then redirect the conversation to a qualifying subject. So here, you might finish by asking a question of your own that points things in the right direction. For example: “Not all big organizations are the same, and I’m guessing you had something specific in mind about your company when you raised the point. What, in particular, do you see as the biggest organizational challenges associated with this position?”And in case you didn’t recognize the phrase, “organizational challenges” is a nice euphemism for “political landmines.”– Bob Technology Industry